710pm
Here I am sitting in a slightly shabby kebab place grabbing a quick bite to eat before the final session at 8pm.
Wow what a day it’s been, more or less 71/2 hours of back to back talent.
My top highlight so far is Shonagh Koea talking with Peter Wells about her book Kindness of Strangers: Kitchen memoirs. The connection between Shonagh and Peter was warm and relaxed making for a seamless discussion. Peter described Shonagh’s writing “as like a prism with the colours coming out of it” He suggested it has the power of fairytale and a quality like walking through an enchanted forest.
Shonagh and Peter were just lovely, where did the hour go, I could have listened much longer. Have made a note to myself to read chapter from the book called “Dr Walker and the chocolate cakes”
My second (very close) Highlight was Heather O’Neil talking about her debut novel “Lullabies for little criminals” a book taking inspiration from her own troubled childhood and experiences growing up in Montreal. She was absolutely delightful and totally open and frank about her life.
Both Shonagh and Heather have experienced difficulties but they have such a positive attitude to life. Heather “went through life always saying she was going to have a good life and do what other people do” Peter Wells said Shonagh knew “how to live life well, how to live life on this globe”
Also a treat for me was an hour with the famous playwright Roger Hall with Fiona Samuel, they were just great. It is wonderful to see Dramatists, television writers, songwriters, columnists, scriptwriters at such an important literary festival.
10pm
Have just got back from the final session of the day the New Zealand Listener Opening Night with J.M Coetzee, Sarah Hall, Junot Diaz and Witi Ihimaera. I need to add a new highlight. All four read from their work and were stunning. But for me the star was Witi Ihimaera. Hearing and seeing him read was such a powerful experience and moved me to tears. The atmosphere in the auditorium was electric.
Well must go and read “Dr Walker and the Chocolate cakes”
Hi Gen, I am at home sick, so with my slightly sore head I decided to go online and check out readers and writers via the Palmerston North City Library. I am absolutely loving all your blogs – I can almost feel the intellectual and creative energy the writers words are inspiring. I have also been to a session with Witi where his story telling brought me to tears – I was wondering what story he told at this particular session? Keep up the good work you guys – really loved the things Rebecca learnt today ! I can’t understand this long wait to be given your own column as a journalist you are all there already – that’s what’s great about the blogisphere I guess! Palmerston North beautiful today – clear blue skies!